gingerbread cake

1 cup regular flour

1 cup spelt flour

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp ginger

.5 tsp salt

.5 tsp baking soda

3/4 cup molasses

1/4 cup agave nectar

2/3 cup hot water + (4 T for flax seed mixture)

1/3 cup of soy butter

1 ripe mashed banana

2 heaping T of ground flax seed

preheat oven to 350. combine all dry ingredients in one bowl.  put agave nectar, molasses and hot water in another. mix well and add the rest of the of wet ingredients with molasses mixture except the flax seed. place flax seed in a bowl with the 4 T of hot water and wisk and let sit for a minute or two and then add flax mixture to molasses mixture.  add dry ingredients to molasses mixture and stir together.    spray 8 x 8 pan and flour it shaking out excess flour.  pour mixture in pan and bake away. this should take about 30-40 minutes to cook.

icing:

2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup of tofutti....soy cream cheese

2 T soy butter, melted

1/2 t vanilla

a tiny splash of soy or rice milk, better to start with less and add more as you go if you need it.

with a mixer, mix tofutti and soy butter until well blended, then add soy milk, vanilla.  let cake cook (or not) and spoon over cake. enjoy!!

i this adapted from a veganyumyum recipe.

pillows....

some new pillow colors i am really psyched about.

the sage green is from a shower curtain

the orange i've tried before but now i have it in a new material that is so much better....rain poncho

the pale pink is from a thrifted table cloth....you know the kind you would puncture your finger thru again and again and again while pretending to listen to the person at the podium.

new work

sterling, glass

sterling, reflector

sterling, vintage ceramic tile, vintage button

kate cusack

YES!!!

zipper bubble choker necklace by katecusack.

goosegrease

sweet wooden "family unit" by goosegrease.

they also sell unpainted collections so you can create your own.  i'm game!!!

orange gems...

i am so excited about these little baby carrots, we planted them back so they could grow a little bigger.

more new work...

polymer clay, vintage plastic, reflector

chrysocolla drusy, vintage button, found plastic

not your ordinary water bottle...

pet bottles in their prime. this image features these small plastic "scales" made for a lamp shade by artist, gulnur ozdaglar out of repurposed pet bottles. the second image is both sculpture and bowl; a fine use for the gazillion water bottles that would typically end up in the landfill if not recycled or reused. bravo!!!

via design*sponge 

abundance...

i could never see too many large, lovely, bursting at the seams, brightly colored and beautifully textured fruit and vegetable markets. i found this image on the photographic dictionary website via marvelouskiddo.  the site organizes words and related images together.  this photograph is "abundance" by david warren.

new work

i'm a bit behind on photographing new work so here's a handful of new pieces....

vintage glass and vintage plastic bead

vintage button and vintage glass

hemimorphite, smithsonite, aquamarine

vintage glass (2) and part of a vintage plastic bead

object..

this scarf as an object...so beautiful.  found at marni

it's bright..i love it

i am so happy the sun is shining....well, it was earlier today.  i was beginning to get the frumps from the lack of sunshine.

lots of new work to come.....i have been making work for a trunk show for craft alliance in st. louis. AND, work for the coconut grove art festival coming up in february.

....this

my heart fluttered when i came across these beautiful and incredibly sweet, tiny vases made from pebbles.

made by artist mitsuru koga

found via ah-yi

napa cabbage and peanut soup

this unusual soup is sure to please the palette.  sweet, pungent and spicy all in the same spoonful.  enjoy!!

chris made this last night and i was happy happy girl.  this is one of our old time faves from back in the day of shackin' up & living in sin.  a friend of ours, caroline anderson gave chris this recipe.

ingredients:

2T olive or peanut oil

1 cup of chopped onion

1 large clove of garlic, minced

2 t grated fresh ginger

1 1/2 t of ground turmeric

1 1/2 t curry powder

1/2 t gournd cayenne pepper, or more to taste

1/2 t ground black pepper

1 t of ground coriander

6 1/2 cups of veggie stock

3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes

2 -3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes

1 cup of smooth peanut butter

3 T lemon juice

2 1/2 T of soy sauce or tamari or braggs amino acid

2 cups of napa cabbage, shredded

1/2 cup of coconut milk.....i think we normally use the whole can

roasted peanuts for garnish if you like

*note- when i make it i usually go a little heavy on all the spices just to give a bit more kick in flavor....maybe 1/2 tsp. or so more of each.

1. heat oil on medium. add onion, garlic and ginger and cook about 5 minutes. add turmeric, curry, cayenne, coriander, black pepper and cook stirring often for another couple minutes.

2. add veggie stock and bring to boil. add all potatoes and simmer over low heat until almost cooked, about 10 minutes.

3. place peanut butter in a bowl and wisk in a cup or so of the stock.  add lemon juice and soy sauce and wisk more. wisk back into large pot of soup and simmer 5 minutes.

4.. stir in cabbage and cook til tender, 3 minutes.

5. add the coconut milk and cook until heated through. bowl up and add peanuts and salt and pepper to taste.  yumyum!!!